Method and apparatus for sequential exposure printing of ultra high resolution digital images using multiple multiple sub-image generation and a programmable moving-matrix light valve

Abstract

An ultra high resolution photographic printing system that generates and rasterizes multiple sub-images synchronized with positioning coordinates that program a moving-matrix light valve during sequentially timed exposures. Diagonal displacement masking operations prepare a 16384×12288 ultra high resolution image for bicubic resampling that generates four unique 4096×3072 intermediate images. These four intermediate images are sieve-sorted based on X and Y modal logic into four unique image sets of 16 unique 1024×768 raster images per set. Each of the 64 unique images sequentially reconstruct a unique "window screen view" of the original high resolution image as dictated by the geometry of the moving-matrix light valve. The moving-matrix light valve is positioned with dual axis micro-stepping motors and leadscrew assemblies. The serial geometry of the light valve RGB elements is sequentially converted to parallel geometry in the printed image. The original high resolution image is seamlessly reconstructed onto photographic media during 192 RGB additive exposures from 64 unique raster images.

We claim: 
     
       1. A method for photographically printing a digital color image comprising the steps of: inputting a digital raster file of an original color image into a container-file, the digital raster file consisting of an array of picture elements and having a resolution and size;   extracting sub-files of the container-file to generate a plurality of unique sub-images;   calculating a plurality of unique overlay coordinates for the plurality of unique sub-images, the overlay coordinates consisting of X and Y interlaced positions that collectively represent the size and resolution of the original color image;   exposing a latent-image onto photographic media, a latent-image consisting of one unique sub-image being indexed to a calculated X and a calculated Y coordinate by positioning a spatial light modulator relative to the photographic media, the spatial light modulator having a resolution and size, and a physical pixel boundary having active sub-pixels and inactive areas, rastering the unique sub-image on the spatial light modulator, and optically projecting the rastered image at an intensity and length of time for rendering an exposed but undeveloped image;   calculating X and Y position coordinates for the spatial light modulator, such that repetitive and sequential use of the active sub-pixels results in a logical image array that multiplies the resolution of the spatial light modulator physical array by a factor based on the ratio of logical sub-pixels to physical pixel;   positioning the active sub-pixels of the spatial light modulator using calculated X and Y coordinates, such that all of the plurality of unique sub-images expose each position of the logical image array and the resultant plurality of unique latent-images reconstruct the original color image on the photographic media, thereby utilizing the inactive areas of the spatial light modulator to increase the printed image resolution; and   reconstructing the original color image by overlaying the plurality of exposed latent-images consisting of the plurality of unique sub-images being overlaid one at a time onto the photographic media by sequentially repeating the previous step of exposing a latent-image onto photographic media.   
     
     
       2. The method of claim 1 wherein the original color image file is sub-divided into a set of container-files that are equal in size but unique in data, and further including the steps of: generating a set of unique container-files from the original color image where image index positions of the container-files are uniformly displaced along the pixel diagonals of the spatial light modulator and beginning the index positions at the origin of the original color image logical pixels when the original color image is overlaying the spatial light modulator physical pixels; and   calculating a set of overlay coordinates for positioning the container-files, the overlay coordinates consisting of X and Y positions that diagonally displace the spatial light modulator in addition to other positioning coordinates during the exposure of latent-images, such that each unique container-file image is synchronized and printed in pixel harmony with the original color image.